Victoria sponge

Ingredients
110g/4oz butter or margarine
110g/4oz caster sugar
2 medium eggs
110g/4oz self raising flour

Method
1. Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Line 2x18cm/7in cake tins with baking parchment
3. Use a hand mixer to cream the butter and the sugar together until pale.
4. Beat in the eggs.
5. Sift over the flour and fold in using a large metal spoon. The mixture should be of a dropping consistency - if it isn't, add a little milk.
6. Divide the mixture between the cake tins and gently spread out with a spatula.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
8. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before turning on to a wire rack to cool.
9. Sandwich the cakes together with jam, lemon curd or whipped cream and berries or just enjoy on its own.

A ‘FULL ENGLISH’ BREAKFAST IN 30 MINUTES

The aim is to produce a breakfast which can be varied to suit taste, but in this case will contain all the elements usually present in this classic English start to the day.

You will need :

A Frying pan
A small saucepan
An egg poacher, or a large saucepan.

Ingredients:

1 egg
2 sausages (Lincolnshire is good)
3 slices bacon (dry cured)
A few mushrooms
1 beef tomato
1 slice of bread
1 small tin of Heinz Baked Beans
Olive Oil
Salt, Pepper

Preparation

Do these jobs BEFORE you start cooking

Boil the kettle
Open Beans and place in small saucepan
Moisten egg poacher with olive oil and crack egg into it
Take slice of bread and spread both sides with small amount of Olive Oil
Peel and slice mushrooms
Slice Beef Tomato into halves (top and bottom)
Switch on grill, put plate in convenient place to warm

Start Cooking !

Place beef tomato under grill (hot) - cut side down
Put a little olive oil into frying pan, place on heat (medium) and put in sausages.
After 3 minutes put bacon under grill, next to tomato
Put beans onto hotplate (quite low heat) to gently warm
Turn the sausages a few times when brown
After a few more minutes, put boiling water into the egg poacher and begin the egg.
Turn over the tomato and bacon
You should now be at about 20 minutes
Put the bread into a toaster and switch on
Take the sausages from the frying pan and put under the grill - check that the bacon and tomato are not burning (move to front of grill to help avoid this).
Put mushrooms into frying pan (salt and pepper to taste) and sizzle until soft

Serve - take toast, place poached egg on top. Place sausages, bacon, tomato, mushrooms and beans onto warm plate. Enjoy ! Variations include fried or scrambled eggs.

Cowboy Cookies

Ingredients

250g sifted plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

125g unsalted butter

60g granulated sugar

175g dark brown sugar

250g chocolate chips

1 very large or 2 small eggs

175g rolled / breakfast oats

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

125g dessicated coconut

175g chopped mixed nuts

***(if you want a fruity extra taste add 125g chopped dried cranberries)***

Method

1. Heat oven to 170C (fan oven) or 180C (no fan)

2. Lightly grease enough greaseproof paper to cover a baking tray.

3. Soften the butter.

4. Cream butter and sugar together.

5. Lightly beat the egg.

6. Add to the butter and sugar, along with the flour, salt and baking soda.

7. Mix well, then add vanilla essence, oats, coconut, nuts and choc chips. Also add cranberries if required.

8. Again, mix well - the mixture will be very stiff !

9. Take 1 tablespoon of mixture for each cookie, roll into a ball then flatten into a cookie shape on the greaseproof paper which is on the baking tray.

10. Repeat until the tray is full (leave about 2cm between each cookie).

11. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, when cookies will be nicely brown but not overcooked.

12. Test one - if all is well, repeat in batches until all mixture is used.

***Cool, then store in airtight container. Makes about 30 cookies. ENJOY !!***

Fried Rice with Chinese Sausages

Ingredients

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

1/2 lb Chinese sausage, cut into medium dice

1-1/2 cups minced onion

2/3 cup medium dice carrot

1/2 cup medium dice mushrooms

3/4 cup red or green bell pepper, cut into strips

2 cups shredded cabbage

3 cups steamed rice

Black pepper as needed

1/2 cup frozen garden peas

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce

2 tablespoons Light soy sauce

Method

1. Heat the oil in wok over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the diced sausage and stir-fry until the fat is released and the sausage is very hot, Add the onion and continue to stir-fry until golden,

2. Add the carrot and stir-fry until hot, Add the mushrooms and stir-fry until they begin to release a little moisture, Add the peppers and stir-fry until they are limp, Add the cabbage and stir-fry until the cabbage is very hot,

3. Add the rice and stir-fry until rice is hot and begins to brown. Season to taste with salt and pepper. When the rice begins to turn golden in spots, add the peas and stir-fry until they are bright green.

4. Pour the beaten eggs into the wok around the edge of the rice. Leave the eggs undisturbed until they begin to turn opaque, then fold them into the rice and cook until the eggs are set and the dish is very hot, Season to taste with mushroom soy sauce, Light Soy Sauce,Black pepper. Serve at once on a heated platter or plates.